Pro Fighter Deku
by Eggnoid424
Summary: From the ashes of war, Quirk Martial Arts sparked to life. Competitive violence helped numb the fresh wounds of society, and for a grieving Izuku Midoriya, QMA provided an alternative to his crushed dream. "If I can't be a hero, then this will have to do..."
1. Musutafu Day Dreams

**A/N: Inspired by Levius.**

* * *

**Prologue: Debut**

It was round three and Izuku felt the pressure.

An uppercut slammed into Izuku's left elbow and his bones shuddered from the force. He peeked passed his guard just in time to sidestep the following left jab. His opponent finished their combo with a wild right hook, forcing Izuku to bring his guard back up.

The hit sends him reeling back and he makes contact with the elastic edge of the ring. The metal joints of his prosthetic arm creak and the steam valves crackle from the strain.

He couldn't afford to take another hit like that.

Izuku grimaced. He only had one more punch before his steam valves burst. Even so, he was resolved to win. A plan scrambled together and he almost scoffed. Mei wasn't going to be happy with him after this. Izuku let out a quick breath and his stance loosened, right arm hissing out steam. He was ready.

His opponent charges.

Izuku stands calm. He waits.

A fist rockets toward him.

NOW!

Just before the blow struck, he stepped into the punch, ducking beneath the attack and moving into his opponent's blind spot. Mid-step, his prosthetic arm swelled as the steam valves groaned. He focused on every water molecule within him, willing them to expand.

Before his opponent could turn to face him, Izuku pulled a wild cry from the depths of his heart.

"DETROIT…"

Echoing throughout the entire stadium, his right arm snapped into a punch.

"SMASH!"

Izuku's forearm valves explode in a burst of steam as his fist makes contact with temple.

The ring floods with rolling mist as his opponent collapses to the ground. The crowd surges forward as the stadium fills with cheers.

"One… two… three…"

Izuku's right arm, a mess of steaming valves and metal joints, hangs limply from his torso. His eyes mist over as intense pain shoots through every nerve ending connected to the broken prosthetic. Even so, the boy stands tall and smiles as the countdown concludes.

"...Eight… nine… ten!"

The bell rings and his victory is assured. The referee stands next to him and raises his good arm high into the air. All eyes are on him, including a pair of glowing blue ones shrouded in darkness.

"Winner: Izuku Midoriya!"

* * *

**Chapter 1: Musutafu Day Dreams**

The sun shone brightly over Musutafu city. Its cobblestone streets were filled with the hum of motor cars and the rabble of its denizens.

On the edge of the city where stone streets faded into rolling hills, the door to a small house suddenly opened. In its doorway was a child with green hair and bright eyes. On his feet were a peculiar pair of red shoes.

Izuku turned back.

"Bye mom! I'm going to play in the city today!"

He giggled to himself quietly before leaping off the porch and scurrying onto the main road leading into the heart of Musutafu.

Quick footsteps bounced within the house as Inko ran to the door.

"Izuku wai-"

All she saw from the porch was a trail of dust and the small figure of her son running into the distance. Inko entertained the thought of chasing after him but soon rolled her eyes and smiled.

She walked back inside and closed the door softly.

There was no stopping that boy, her son had a heart for adventure. However, Inko's smile wavered. She still worried, in the past few years tensions had been building more and more between him and Katsuki. Whenever Izuku would come back from playing in the city he'd be covered from head to toe in bruises. Mitsuki had said the same for Katsuki as well. Inko sat at the kitchen table and let out a sigh. For both of their sakes, she hoped he wouldn't be playing with Katsuki today.

Perhaps she should ask Hisashi when he got back from the front lines to give their son more self defense lessons.

-oxoxo-

"Come on Deku, is that all you got?"

_NOW!_

Bakugo Katsuki's manic grin was knocked off his face as Izuku landed a heavy right straight on his childhood friend. Katsuki scowled as he wobbled on his feet.

"Not at all, Kacchan."

Within the enormous bay side abandoned factory, Izuku and Katsuki circled each other. Front and center on the empty work floor, they stood encircled within a white chalk line. Surrounding them was a small crowd of neighborhood kids.

"Lucky shot..." the blond growled.

_He's right, it was a lucky shot. I have to be more creative. _

Katsuki's right arm fell back and he leaned forward. Izuku stiffened.

_Kacchan has never used that move before, I have to be careful. _

"...but it won't happen again!"

An explosion rumbled through the air as his childhood friend rushed forth building momentum with smaller explosions causing him to rotate and leave the ground.

"HOWITZER! IMPACT!

_He's moving too fast, I have to block!_

Katsuki's spinning aerial hook struck Izuku's hasty guard full force. Izuku hissed as the impact sent him careening back off of his feet. The world shook as his back made contact with the concrete floor and his breath escaped in short pants as he struggled with the throbbing pain in his arms. From outside the white circle, he stared blankly at the factory ceiling, a familiar sight.

_I lost, again._

Izuku's loss was expected… he was quirkless after all. The gathered audience of children screamed with excitement. Izuku sat up and rubbed his abused forearms. The children swarmed Kacchan.

"Holy shit Katsuki, that was so cool!"

"You kicked that quirkless loser's ass!"

"If you were in the Hero Resistance we'd win the war for sure!"

He watched Katsuki. Through all the praise and compliments, the blonde simply crossed his arms, struck a pose and smirked. Soon Kacchan's eyes met his own.

The blond's smirk fell.

"Of course we'd win the war, I'll become the strongest hero ever! I'll even surpass All Might, and kill all those shitty quirkless bastards."

While the other children were in awe at Katsuki's bold declaration Izuku stared back, unflinching. This only seemed to piss the blonde off.

"So… which one of you shitheads is next?"

The crowd went silent and collectively took a few steps back. The children looked back and forth at each other mumbling nervously.

_They're afraid of him..._

Izuku noticed the slight curve in Kacchan's lips as his challenge went unanswered.

_...and he loves it._

The explosive blonde stared intently at him, almost explicitly daring him to fight. When he didn't get up immediately, Izuku noticed a shift in Katsuki's demeanor. Those bright crimson eyes shone with delight. Realization struck deep within Izuku.

_He wants me to be afraid too._

Irritation pooled in the back of his skull, sloshing and filling until he couldn't take it anymore. Izuku abruptly stood up, his sudden movement drawing everyone's eyes. He walked calmly until he once again stood in the white circle across from his childhood friend.

"I can go again, Kacchan."

A snarl echoed throughout the factory. Both of the boys slipped into their accustomed stances as the children backed away. A dull throng of murmurs filled the air as he and Katsuki prepared themselves.

"Again? Shouldn't that quirkless loser know his place by now?"

"He's just jealous because we're winning the war."

Izuku knew about the other children's hatred for someone like him. It was easy to pin the blame of an entire group on an individual. His brow furrowed.

_The tyranny of the quirkless is projected onto me._

Izuku's eyes hardened as he fixed Katsuki an intense look. One of the children, in front of the crowd, raised a stick to an empty tin can. Two quick strikes to the metal and the fight was on.

_I'll show them… _

Izuku's breaths were calm and he let his nerves simmer down until all that was left was his young analytical mind.

_Kacchan's going to open with a wide right hook. I've been able to block it recently but now I need to be better than that._

Katsuki's foot stepped firmly onto the concrete as he propelled himself forward with two quick blasts. With a mighty roar, Katsuki's right arm reeled back, confidence and zeel maring his grinning maw.

_I can do this. I'll prove that I'm on their side._

Izuku slipped under the telegraphed right hook. His right foot stamped into the ground, the kinetic energy spreading to the furthest reaches of his closing fist.

_I'll be a hero…_

Katsuki's eyes widened. His infallible opening punch had missed. Izuku pulled his arm back until he felt his muscles stretch.

_Just like All Might!_

"DETROIT…"

Suddenly, the rusted steel doors of the factory blasted open. Small emerald flames licked at the edges of the besieged doorway.

"IZUKU MIDORIYA!"

"SMASH!"

A gust of wind swept across the factory floor. Mid-punch, Izuku's fist was stopped as a tall, harsh looking man with dark hair had effortlessly pushed Katsuki away and caught his counter. Bright green eyes burned into Izuku's heart as his fist was shoved aside. He felt everything in his body seize up.

"Dad… DAD!?"

_What about the war? _

Standing between the two combatants was Hisashi Midoriya adorned in military garb with the customary heroes badge pressed into his uniform. Hisashi's vibrant green irises scanned the factory, assessing every detail. They paused on Katsuki before roving onward.

"Dad, I'm so happy you're back! But wait, why are you back? Is the war over? Did we win?"

Izuku rushed forth to give his father a hug only to stop and flinch as Hisashi's scalding eyes fixed him a harsh stare.

"We're leaving, Izuku."

_Right… the first thing he comes back to..._

Izuku's eyes fell to look at his own clenched fist and the callouses that had formed across his knuckles.

_...is me fighting._ _His tone was so cold… he must really be dissapointed._

Despite his best efforts to keep himself calm, Izuku felt a mist come over his eyes.

"Yes sir."

Hisashi spun on his heel and strode out of the factory, Izuku trudging beside him. Just as the father and son had turned the corner out of the factory door way, Katsuki shook his head and returned to his senses, a scowl quickly forming along his lips.

The blond surged forward, running out into the vibrant afternoon sun.

Above the rabble of the bayside citizens and motor car engines, Katsuki bellowed, "This ain't over Deku! Just because your dad bailed you out doesn't mean you can just walk away. We're settling this tonight!"

Izuku's hand clenched into a fist but kept walking, even as the tears began to fall.

-oxoxo-

All was quiet in the rumbling motor car. By now Izuku had dried his eyes and was looking out of the passenger window. It had been nearly three years since he'd seen his father.

_I have to say something, he deserves an explanation. _

Izuku turned to regard Hisashi, the larger man's focus on the road and at the wheel. Without looking over, as if understanding his son was ready to talk, Hisashi broke the silence.

"How long have you been fighting with the other kids?"

Immediately Izuku's eyes fell to the motor car's carpeted flooring. Every word was a struggle.

"I… well... a couple months."

Hisashi sighed.

Izuku winced.

After a pause, Hisashi spoke, "Why Izuku? I told you before I left I didn't want you to fight with the other kids, especially Katsuki. You could get seriously hurt."

_He sounds so sad now. _

The motor car came to a halt behind another. Hisashi turned, taking his eyes off the road and placing a hand on Izuku's shoulder.

"Fighting… war, it's not a game. Us heroes fight so you kids don't have to."

_I'm a bad son._

The cars began moving again and Hishashi pulled away. The car fell back into the bed of silence as Izuku struggled to put his thoughts together. He fiddled with his fingers, nervousness creeping through his digits.

"I know Dad. It's just…"

_It's not about fighting. It's not about the war. It's not about fun… not entirely. It's just..._

"...I have to prove myself."

His father's neutral expression shifted into a slight frown.

"They make fun of you, don't they," Hisashi stated.

Izuku's restless hands froze and slowly curled into fists. The events of today's bout fluttered through his mind as months of violent memories began to rise. He thought of those bright crimson eyes and he grit his teeth.

"Yeah, they do."

After a moment of thinking, his father nodded. Izuku couldn't tell if that was for him or Hisashi himself. A sad smile formed across the older man's lips, an understanding settling in.

The rest of the ride home was spent in silence. Nothing more had to be said.

-oxoxo-

Hisashi pulled into the driveway of the small house among the hills. Creeping past the windows and parking out of view, he turned to his son.

"Now Izuku, you remember the plan, right?"

The boy nodded energetically, his hand reaching for the car door handle.

"Of course, she's gonna love it!"

Izuku leapt out of the car, a spring in his step as he made his way to the front door. Hisashi took this time to look in the motor car's mirror, giving himself one last check. He chuckled to himself as he caught his own eyes in the reflection.

"Come on Hisashi, you've been married to Inko for nearly two decades. You've got this."

He stepped out of the motor car and trailed to the storage compartment. Opening it, a fresh bouquet from the upper city market lay carefully wrapped in gilded papers tied off with ribbons.

A timid smile touched his lips.

He could use some peace, there wasn't much time left for it anyway.

-oxoxo-

Inko, walking back from the window, could have sworn she'd heard the engine of a motor car. Funny enough, she didn't see one outside. Sitting back down in her favorite lounge chair, she picked up the half made sweater she was knitting together and started the next line.

"Mom! I'm home!"

Sooner than she could react, her son raced into the room, a bright smile on his face as he took a seat farthest from the front door.

"Oh! Izuku, welcome home. Did you have fun in the city today?"

"Plenty, now Mom you have to come here! I want to show you something."

Inko's smile widened. It had been quite a while since she'd seen Izuku this excited. Something really good must have happened today. Maybe he and Katsuki made up. She set down her half-made sweater and strode over to her jubilant son.

Inko kneeled down beside Izuku, as he rocked back and forth in the chair.

"So what is it that you want to show me?"

Izuku's eyes darted away from her and a flicker of concern slithered through Inko's mind. His bright green eyes were looking passed her.

"Izuku…" she said softly, "what…"

The front door opened gently.

Panicked, Inko spun around and her arm shot back against Izuku's chest protectively. Nobody was going to hurt her baby.

Tall, dark, and handsome confined in military garb. Hisashi Midoriya stood nervously as he leaned against the front door frame, a bouquet of flowers tucked underneath his arm.

"Hey... Inko," he said warmly.

_Inko… will you marry me?_

She stood up slowly.

_Of course I will, silly!_

Footsteps soft as she tread closer, he reached out to her.

_Inko… I have to go, I can help them. They need me, I can be their hero. _

Her fingers curled around his. The image of him blurred as heavy tears began to fall.

_What about Izuku? Huh? He needs you too!_

Inko's grasp tightened as Hisashi set the flowers down on a side table. His arms tentatively wrapped around her and pulled her close.

_I'm sorry Inko._

It was hard to tell when the first sob hit, but afterwards she didn't bother keeping herself composed. Inko held onto the front of his uniform as she pressed her face into his chest. Hisashi's embrace tightened and her shaking only worsened.

_Please… don't go. _

A few minutes passed before calm had settled back into her. All was silent except for remnant sniffles. In a quiet and vulnerable voice, she confessed.

"I was so worried."

Hisashi ran fingers through her hair, the flow of it soothing both of them. He whispered back.

"So was I."

_I love you._

-oxoxo-

Hisashi sat beside her. The flowers he'd brought were on display atop their dinner table. The sweet scent set her at ease along with Hisashi's callus hands held within her own.

Izuku sat across from them and talked animatedly with his father.

Inko released a breath she had been holding for a long time.

Too long.

All was well again.

-oxoxo-

The Midoriya household was quiet. The sun had begun to set. Izuku had gone outside to play in the front yard while daylight lasted. Inko and Hisashi remained inside. Inko had just returned from the kitchen setting down two fresh mugs of coffee. Before she could return to her seat, Hisashi smirked and placed a hasty kiss along her neckline as she leaned over.

"Hisashi!"

Startled, flustered, and excited she playfully smacked Hisashi's arm before settling back down beside her husband.

"Couldn't help it," he said innocently.

Inko rolled her eyes but she smiled all the same. Hisashi never changed. His hand reached out and held her own. They sat close, each sipping at their steaming beverages. Inko closed her eyes, letting this moment sink into her memories.

He was home, he was finally home.

"Inko, I do have something to tell you."

But there was always something. Her eyes opened softly and she regarded her husband. Hisashi's carefree smile had fallen into a tense nervous one.

"There is a reason why I'm back… you see… um… well…"

For the brave, selfless, and charismatic man that Hisashi was, when it came to Inko, he always reverted back to that timid school boy following her around. He needed reassurance from time to time.

Inko squeezed his hand with her own. His eyes made contact with hers and his thoughts seemed to clear and gather together.

"The war isn't over. In fact, it's getting worse. Last week we lost Kamino Ward… we lost so many good men and women."

His fist curled and he paused to compose himself. Memories passed through him and for an instant she felt his pain. Then, in a hollow tone she'd rarely heard from him, Hisashi spoke.

"They're coming here, Inko. Musutafu, it's next. Intel expects their assault to come within the next week. Evacuation starts tomorrow."

All she could do was stare. Her eyes trailed across the walls of their home. Pictures that lined the walls, the awful interior paint Hisashi had picked out, the dishes they'd received as wedding gifts, Izuku's home, all of it. The shimmering image of broken glass, distant fires, and rubble struck her.

With misty eyes, she sighed. Inhale. Exhale.

Inko's lips curled slowly as she opened up and faced Hisashi through the tears.

"We'll be okay. As long as we're all together. You'll keep us safe."

Hisashi embraced his wife, holding her waist and cradling the back of her head. All he could do was nod and hold her close.

One last time.

-oxoxo-

_Dad got in the way but that had to have been my best smash yet. _

Izuku stood beneath the branches of a large tree a small hill away from his home. He stared intensely at the bark in front of him.

_Alright, just like last time, left leg in. _

Izuku stomped with his left, ducking under and invisible right hook.

_Pivot at the waist._

His right fist cocked back as he turned.

"SMASH!"

Izuku's fist collided full force with the base of the tree. The wood resonated, the impact sending stray leaves raining down as the green haired boy recoiled. He clutched his hand, the shock rumbling through his bones and the bark biting into his knuckles.

He sucked in air through clenched teeth as he controlled his breathing. Even so, he smiled to himself as he observed his irritated knuckles.

_I'll beat him next time, I can do it. Kacchan won't know what hit him._

"Yo quirkless!"

Izuku spun around, following the voice and settling into a readied stance. Cresting the hill, one of Katsuki's lackeys smiled at him condescendingly. Izuku's eyes narrowed and his fists clenched even tighter as the lackey came to a stop across from him.

"Can I help you?"

Despite such an innocent question, a sense of mild hostility radiated from Izuku.

_Looks like it's only him. I could take him if he tries anything. It won't be like before. I've learned to defend myself. _

"Oh calm down quirkless, I'm not here to start shit. Plus, even if I was, I'd wipe the floor with you. Keep dreaming."

The last two words came out in a snarl but the lackey maintained a calm composure.

"Look I'm not here for you, in fact I'd rather be doing anything else than being within ten meters of you," the lackey peacocked to the tree and leaned his back against it, crossing his arms, " Bakugo sent me, you and him have unfinished business."

_What?_

Izuku was shocked for an instant, but soon the jolt traveled throughout his body and he felt the current of competition. Katsuki's words echoed in his mind.

'_This ain't over Deku! Just because your dad bailed you out doesn't mean you can just walk away. We're settling this tonight!'_

"Come to the factory at midnight. He'll be waiting."

With that, Katsuki's lackey kicked off the trunk and began to traverse back down the hill. Before out of earshot, the lackey spun around, apparently having thought of one last taunt.

"You better show up! We have a wager running to see how long you last before Bakugo puts you down AGAIN! Later quirkless!"

_Shut up… I had him today. I was so close. Kacchan knows it too. _

Izuku watched the lackey shrink into the distance back to Musutafu. His hands shook, knuckles white. He thought back to how this all started. They always made fun of him, always cornered him after school. A particularly painful memory brushed by and he physically winced. His hand mindlessly cradled his left shoulder protectively.

_I have to fight and prove myself. It's either fight in the warehouse, or go back to being jumped by Kacchan and his lackeys after school._

Izuku's breaths calmed.

_At least in the warehouse it's my choice. _

Tonight would be the night.

_They hate me for what I am. _

Izuku gave one last determined glare toward Musutafu before turning his back to the distant sunset city.

_That's fine. I'll just have to show them WHO I am. _

For a split second, his mind drifted to the reigning symbol of hope for their side of the war. Izuku smiled to himself.

_I'll show them that I AM HERE. _

-oxoxo-

Far to the west of Musutafu, past the rolling hills and further forest, a tall dark figure stood along the edge of a cliffside plateau.

"Tomura…"

The dark figure addressed a small pale boy standing beside him. Having been called, the boy looked up expectantly.

"Are the general's men in order?"

The boy glanced back, the reflection in his scarlett irises revealed hundreds of armed soldiers preparing for war.

"Yes master."

All for One cracked a smile. The boy mirrored him. The fake intel had worked, they were vulnerable.

"Good. We attack at midnight."

Musutafu will fall.

* * *

**A/N: Let me know what you think. Thanks for reading.**


	2. Musutafu Massacre

**A/N: (Fanficlover175: I'll try my best) **

**Inspired by Levius.**

* * *

**Chapter 2: Musutafu Massacre**

Izuku sat quietly huddled beside his window, his digits slowly unhinging the screen under the moonlight. After dinner, which had been an oddly somber affair, he claimed to be tired and went to his room.

_Mom checked on me over an hour ago, the coast should be clear. _

The screen came loose and Izuku carefully pulled the metal mesh frame inside. He did a quick once over, making sure he was ready. Dressed in a dark green coat and black slacks, he double knotted his red shoes, and peaked out of his window. He'd never snuck out before, but part of him wanted it to go off without a hitch.

_Mom and Dad's light is off and their curtains are closed. _

He smiled to himself.

_Perfect._

Izuku carefully climbed out of his room and onto the first floor's roofing. Once fully outside, he closed the window and carefully climbed to the house's lowest point. He took a deep breath and readied himself for the six foot drop.

His heart pounded, fear of being caught rushing through his veins. Still, he found himself elated.

_Just you wait, Kacchan… if you want a fight… _

Izuku's breath hitched as he jumped.

_...you'll get one. _

-oxoxo-

On the edge of the rolling hills outside of Musutafu city, All for One and a man in uniform stood beside each other. Behind them, platoons of orderly soldiers awaited their commands.

"Place the mortars along this hill, we'll bombard them first and then storm the city during the chaos," All for One stated to the man beside him.

The man glowered.

"Need I remind you that I don't take orders from freaks. You're just as bad as those bastards in the city."

All for One chuckled.

"Something funny, freak? Did your little monster disintegrate another rabbit or something?"

"No, General. While we must work together, and you may loath to do so, I admire your hatred."

The General looked disturbed, but gestured towards the soldiers for the mortar platoons to set up on the designated hill.

"Whatever. We commence bombardment in five minutes. We'll start with the bay and cut off their escape routes. You will take care of the remaining heroes and All Might, leave the city to us."

All for One chuckled once more as if he were humoring an adamant child.

"Of course General, it will be my pleasure."

-oxoxo-

The trek into the city was quiet, however, as he approached, the commotion of Musutafu's nightlife greeted him. Izuku navigated the crowds, making his way to the bayside factory until he stood resolute outside its soot covered doors. His breath clung to the back of his lungs.

_Just breathe Izuku… you've got this._

With one last calming exhale, he reached out and opened the door, slipping inside. Bathed in moonlight a swarm of kids huddled around the ring. As soon as they noticed him they stepped back revealing a smirking Bakugo Katsuki at its center.

"You're late shithead. I thought you chickened out or something."

A chorus of chuckles flit through the crowd. In response, Izuku marched forward, his footsteps echoing throughout the factory until he stood within the circle. His emerald eyes stood firm against those glaring rubies.

"I'm not afraid of you."

_Never again._

Izuku readied himself, arms out and left foot forward.

Almost instantly Katsuki's demeanor shattered. The fragments of his smug ego gave way to a quiet rage that burned through the blonde's self restraint.

"You're not afraid, huh, Deku?"

Kacchan's arms flew back, and he snarled.

"Well you fucking should be!"

Two blasts illuminated the factory and shook its walls. The spectating children collectively stepped back as Katsuki suddenly exploded forward. In an instant, those hateful ruby eyes were before him, his right arm cocked back.

"You're nothing compared to me!"

_Just like before, focus._

Izuku leaned to his left, preparing for the incoming right hook. Katsuki swung and Izuku dipped under the arm. But just before Katsuki could complete the motion of his opening right hook, Izuku noticed a grin spreading across the blonde's lips.

_Crap!_

Katsuki jumped and sent a quick blast to the floor with his left hand at the same time. The blonde left his line of sight, flying above him.

Izuku turned to face his airborne foe but was swiftly propelled forward.

"DIEEE!"

An explosion to his upper back sent him sprawling onto the concrete, his jacket singed and smoking. Katsuki landed behind Izuku's prone form, embered hand still outstretched.

_Damn that really hurt. Everything feels out of place._

Izuku struggled to his feet, the pain seeping deep into his nerves.

_That was so stupid. I fell for it! Of course Kacchan would adapt. _

He turned to regard Katsuki. His opponent had stepped into another stance, smirking and ready for more. Izuku grit his teeth.

_I have to be better than this._

He readied himself once more. Whatever Katsuki would throw at him, he was determined to win this time.

_Katsuki got the first hit, he'll likely-_

Izuku didn't have time to think as the blonde rushed him. Panicked, he raised a hasty upper guard. Katsuki threw a single punch into his guard before switching things up. Izuku let out a strangled cough as a full force knee strike made contact with his unprotected stomach.

He doubled over, falling to his knees as he struggled to breathe, one arm clutching his wounded torso. Spit fell free from his mouth as Katsuki stood over him, looking down.

"I thought you weren't afraid of me, Deku," Katsuki taunted.

Izuku's eyes screwed shut as he willed the pain away. In a quiet yet heavy voice, he responded.

"I'm not, Kacchan."

Katsuki's brow furrowed, scowling once more as he growled in annoyance.

"Just give up!" he bellowed, placing a heel on Izuku's side and kicking him over.

He coughed violently as he was forced onto the ground. Even so, he picked himself back up, one limb at a time. Katsuki's burning glare contested Izuku's crackling determination.

Once more he readied himself, albeit slower.

_My vision is getting blurry. I don't think I can take another hit like that. No more thinking, I have to just act. Kacchan always takes the initiative. _

One last calming breath.

_Here we go. _

His legs moved without thinking as Bakugo Katsuki's eyes widened in surprise. Izuku closed the distance between them and unleashed a violent right hook of his own.

In a split second before the punch landed, they made eye contact.

_I will win._

Unaccustomed to being on the defensive, Katsuki was forced to bring up a shody guard. The sudden blow knocked his guard to the side and unbalanced him. This left his side vulnerable and open to Izuku's next attack.

Without hesitation, Izuku, following the momentum of his last punch, kneeled down, connected his fists, and rammed his elbow into Katsuki's side.

The blonde grunted in pain, however his rubied eyes remained unwavering. It was going to take more than that to bring Bakugo Katsuki down.

In retaliation, Katsuki dropped his guard and struck Izuku across the cheek with a jab.

_I'm not giving up._

But as soon as he'd taken the hit, Izuku countered by throwing his own punch which clipped Katsuki's cheekbone.

Both combatants disengaged, their short burst of close quarters violence leaving them out of breath and wincing.

"You look tired Deku, gonna give up?" Katsuki snarled.

Izuku's eyes steeled over.

"No, I'll-"

It was at this very moment a thunderous blast erupted from the street outside. The ground rumbled beneath their feet, causing both Izuku and Katsuki to stumble as the factory windows shattered. Burning orange light consumed the factory. The sudden commotion spread panic and the children scattered, leaving him and Katsuki behind.

_I know that noise… And from Kacchan's expression, so does he..._

Izuku looked out from the empty window frames and gasped. The building that had once stood across from the factory had caved in on itself. Rolling dust filled the street as smoke and ash drifted through the air.

A stray ember wandered from the building, landing on his cheek. Izuku's emerald orbs widened, realization settling in.

_...that building exploded._

-oxoxo-

Hisashi jolted awake.

Three years of war had sharpened his perception; especially to the sound of mortar fire. He heard it again, another rumble of mechanical thunder. Hisashi rushed to the window and pulled back the curtains. He whispered desperately.

"No…"

In the distance, the orange lights flickered within Musutafu as pillars of smoke disappeared into the night sky. Inko stirred behind him.

"Hisashi?" she sees his rigid posture, "Hisashi, what's wrong?"

He broke away from the window, swiftly moving to open a suitcase he'd placed under their bed. Inside, his hero uniform was on display, neatly pressed and folded. Hisashi spoke as he began equipping himself for battle.

"I'm so sorry, Inko. Get Izuku and lock yourselves in the basement; you know the plan."

Inko, still waking up, looked confused.

"Hisashi, what are yo-"

Then she saw it: Musutafu in flames. It took a while to look away, and when she had, tears had pooled in the corners of her eyes. Hisashi sat down beside her on the bed, now dressed in full combat gear. Before he could speak, his wife rushed forth and kissed him fiercely.

After a few seconds of passion, he gently pushed her away.

"I have to go, Inko. They need me."

She smiled at him sadly.

"I know."

Hisashi pressed his forehead against Inko's as he cradled her cheek. He could feel her tremble as she held tightly onto the front of his uniform.

"I love you, Inko," he whispered.

She lets out a quiet sob, nods, and smiles.

"I love you too, Hisashi."

For an instant longer, he relished in her touch, her smell, and her love. But no more. Hisashi stood and so did Inko. She wrapped a night robe around herself and left their room.

Hisashi let out a heavy sigh. It would seem intel had been wrong.

"HISASHI!"

His blood ran cold as he burst out of the bedroom and into Izuku's room. Embers danced in his throat, anxiety rushing through him.

"Inko! What is it?"

His wife stood rigid staring at Izuku's empty bed.

"He… he's gone… Hisashi…our baby..."

Inko sank to the floor. Immediately he was at her side, an arm around her shoulder. Panic surged throughout every fiber of his being before the enraged words of Bakugo Katsuki exploded to the forefront of his mind.

'_This ain't over Deku! Just because your dad bailed you out doesn't mean you can just walk away. We're settling this tonight!'_

"Inko, it's okay, I know where he is."

It took a second for his words to sink in, but eventually she calmed down and he gently helped her back up.

"Barricade yourself in the basement. Inko, I promise I will get him back."

He kisses her forehead and whispers the oath once more.

"I promise I will."

She nodded through the tears as he departed to the window. Just as he mounted the frame and turned away, two arms wrapped around his torso, embracing him. Her lips brushed against his ear, as she spoke unsteadily.

"Come back to me…please..."

She squeezed him one last time before pulling away.

"...both of you."

The mist of tears shrouding his vision, Hisashi nodded and leapt from the roof, ready to find his son within the horrors of war.

-oxoxo-

_I have to get home._

"Kacchan, we have to go!"

Izuku stepped out into the burning bright street as a fire had consumed the remains of the sunken building. Katsuki soon followed, surprisingly calm.

"Don't fucking tell me what to do Deku," he grumbled without much bark.

Before he could retort, a faint whistling cut through the night.

_What the-_

Izuku's breath hitched as he connected the dots.

_MORTAR!_

"Kacchan get d-"

The street shook once more as another building collapsed into rubble and smoke. His ears rung from the blast and dust once again filled the streets. Izuku coughed and waved the particles from his face.

"Kacchan, come on! We..."

_Kacchan?_

The words died in his throat as the dust settled and the unconscious body of Bakugo Katsuki was revealed. A trail of fresh blood stemmed from a deep jagged wound across the blonde's temple. Not far away was a stray brick, lined with crimson, having flown from the debris.

Izuku's breath quickened and the world spun.

_What was happening? Why were we being attacked? Have the quirkless forces arrived?_

The sharp whistling of the night returned, and without thinking, Izuku dove over Katsuki's body, sheltering it from harm. He winced as the falling mortar struck a nearby building. Izuku examined his former childhood friend as his brow furrowed.

_No. I don't have time to panic, I have to get Kacchan out of here._

He placed an arm around Katsuki's torso and heaved the larger boy's limp arm over his shoulder. Izuku's legs shuddered with strain from the first step and his breath came out in shallow pants. Even so, he took one step forward, and then another, and another.

"Come on Kacchan, we can't die here. We still have to finish our fight," he wheezed.

Mortar shells rained from the darkness and brought ruin to the town. Izuku managed to carry Katsuki two blocks into the city before the gunfire and screaming started. The quirkless infantry force had breached Musutafu's walls. By now panic had spread to every corner of the city and citizens were being gunned down at random.

_Come on, just one more block. We're so close._

Izuku quickened his pace even as his legs protested. The Bakugo residence wasn't far now. He turned at a street corner and his eyes widened.

Facing him, five meters away, was a squad of four gas masked soldiers clad in black. They traded looks before all four raised their rifles.

Izuku dropped Katsuki and stood in front of his prone body, screwing his eyes shut.

_Please… anyone…_ _save us._

Expecting immediate gunfire, Izuku opened his eyes just in time to witness a balefire of emerald flames engulf the four soldiers as his father unleashed hell from the rooftops. They screamed inside their masks as each of the soldiers fell to the ground, writhing in agony before summarily disappearing into ash.

"IZUKU!"

Before he could process what had happened, the building beside him exploded and he was thrown to the street.

-oxoxo-

Hisashi's heart stopped as a debris cloud consumed Izuku's small frame. He leapt from the rooftop, and sprinted to where he'd last seen his son.

"Izuku! Izuku can you hear me?"

The dust cleared, and in place of his son was a pile of rubble. The building had collapsed outward, brick and stone scattered across the street. He called out to his son once more, grappling at the ruins.

"Izuku! Izuku! I'm here, I…"

"Kacchan! I'll get you out!"

Further down the road, the dust clearing, his son stood above the fallen form of Bakugo Katsuki. Hisashi's eyes prickled with tears as relief flooded his system.

-oxoxo-

The ringing deafened him. He couldn't even hear his own voice. A faint stinging had formed across his cheek, and his side felt heavy, muscles dull.

However, none of that mattered. Izuku could only focus on Katsuki's buried body beneath the remains of the collapsed building. His fingers found purchase again and again as he wrenched brick after brick from atop Katsuki's body.

"Hang in there Kacchan!" his arms slow as he grows weaker, "Please… hang in there..."

_I can't move, why can't I move? He needs my help, I have to save him!_

Izuku's breath elevated and he broke into quiet sobs as the static ringing died down. Mortar shots and gunfire sounded the drums of war as the steady rage of fire and ruin broke across Musutafu.

_I… I have to._

-oxoxo-

"Izuku."

His son's head slowly turned to face the voice of his father. Hisashi approached slowly, kneeling down beside his son. He reached out, placing two fingers along Katsuki's pulse.

Hisashi's brow furrowed as his eyes closed. A deep sigh left his lungs, breath heavy with the weight of the dead.

"Izuku, we… we have to go."

"No."

"I'm sorry, Izuku… we-"

Izuku's hands curled into fists as he leaned over Katsuki's body.

"I won't leave him!"

Suddenly a gunshot rang throughout the street as a bullet whizzed by Hisashi's head. He spun around as the soldier loaded another round into the chamber. Before the man could pull the trigger, Hisashi's mouth widened until his face mirrored that of a dragon's maw.

Emerald flames rushed forth in torrents, covering the block of distance and consuming anything in its path. Falling to his knees, the burning soldier pulled off his gas mask, strings of melted flesh hanging between them. Hisashi locked eyes with the soldier and understood.

He drew his pistol and fired a single shot. Izuku didn't even flinch as the soldier crumpled to the street, dead.

Hisashi grimaced. There was bound to be more on the way. He looked into the distant eyes of his kneeling son. They had to leave. NOW.

"Izu-"

"Well… well… well…"

A heavy voice filled with malicious mirth penatrated through the chaos of war. The air became dense and a sense of dread filled the streets. Hisashi's green eyes widened as a tall man in a dark suit walked calmly toward them.

"What do we have here… if it isn't one of the great heroes of the resistance, FireFang."

Hisashi placed a protective hand across Izuku's body as a vicious smile spread across All for One's twisted maw.

-oxoxo-

_Kacchan… I'm sorry. I…_

Suddenly an overwhelming sense of fear filled every ounce of emotion he possessed. His father placed a hand over his chest and Izuku turned to regard the source of dread.

A lone figure approached as sudden dark swirls of energy began radiating off his body. It smiled and he shuddered.

"Dad, what's going on?"

Hisashi's mouth opened and he spit out a wave of fire in front of them, covering the entire street in dancing green flames. Izuku's father turned around and kneeled to face him.

"Izuku, this is very important…"

_Dad? _

Hisashi sighed and chuckled softly. His father brushed aside some of his unruly curly hair. He smiled calmy, making eye contact with his son, green matching green.

"I love you, Izuku. Don't ever forget that."

_No… please… no…_

Hisashi pulled away, ready to face evil itself. With a sidelong glance, his father let one last tear fall before speaking softly.

"Now run."

"No! Dad, I can't leave you!"

Hisashi's eyes turned cold as the man parted the sea of flames, smothering them with darkness, and stepped through onto their side. Izuku held his ground as the fear within him grew. He prepared himself to fight, but before he could, his father shoved him back.

He fell to the ground, looking on as the man shrouded in darkness stood only a few meters away.

"I said run Izuku!"

_But… _

"Go to your mother! Get to the basement!"

_Dad… _

"RUN!"

Izuku took one last look at Katsuki's lifeless form buried in rubble, at his home city in ruins, and finally at the silhouette of his father standing tall against evil.

_I love you Dad._

-oxoxo-

He smiled sadly as his son ran into the city. Soon his expression changed, a farewell warmth into anxious stone.

Hisashi Midoriya was out of time.

He expanded the muscles in his jaws as he faced down his greatest foe. He hoped All Might would show up soon. Another tear trailed down his cheek.

_I really want to see my family again._

It was with this last thought that heat surged from the bottom of his lungs and exploded through his trachea, manifesting into bright white flames, hotter than he'd ever handled before.

_Izuku…_

All for One smiled as he raised a hand and blocked the assault with a single hand.

_Inko..._

Hisashi, undeterred, strafed left and released a continuous stream of white fire that blazed through the air and covered All for One. A quick burst of dark energy and the fire around him was instantly put out. All for One chuckled softly.

"A valiant effort, FireFang. But I think it's time to stop playing around."

_I'm sorry, I can't keep my promise. _

-oxoxo-

"General, there's a lone house on the other side of the city, shall I deploy a squad to check it out?"

Standing on the hill, binoculars observing the massacre, the general nodded to the commander. This battle would be the last one, the one that won them the war...

...and that meant no survivors.

-oxoxo-

Izuku couldn't breathe but his lungs screamed to tell him otherwise.

He'd ran through the city, not once looking back. He took every back alley shortcut and cut off to avoid the soldiers still roaming the city. His legs burned as he sprinted through the hills outside the city.

Izuku didn't slow down until he'd reached the front of his home. Circling around to the back of the house, he brushed aside two large ferns to reveal a double doored hatch. He knocked fervently.

"Mom! Mom it's me!"

The hatch produced a metallic click as the lock inside was undone. Inko Midoriya's eyes shone bright with tears as she opened the two doors.

"Oh Izuku!"

She rushed forth, pulling him into a hug as both of them began to cry hysterically. After a moment to themselves, she pulled away.

"I was so worried; I'm so glad you're safe. Where's your father?"

Izuku shrunk in on himself.

"Dad… he-"

He paused as he heard a faint click behind him. Suddenly a small metal object rolled past his right leg and landed between them.

One second.

Two seconds.

_Grena-_

Before Izuku could finish the thought, Inko kicked the grenade into a small ditch behind their house and pushed him to the ground, shielding his body with her own.

"Mo-"

His exclamation faded into the night as the grenade exploded. In a flash of light, shrapnel peppered the back of the house and in an instant his right arm jolted with pain. His head spun and his ears were filled with ringing once more.

Izuku's vision was dark and fuzzy but he looked up to his mother as she smiled at him.

"Everything's going to be okay, Izuku."

A dribble of blood trailed down from her mouth and she winced. Still, she smiled. He struggled to keep his eyes open.

_We're still in danger. The grenade had to come…_

The image of his smiling mother began to fade.

_...had to come… from…_

Izuku's mind fell to nothingness as four soldiers closed in on their position. Inko spoke gently to her unconscious son.

"Rest... everything will be alright."

* * *

**A/N: Let me know what you think. Thanks for reading. **


	3. Salvage

**A/N: (Fanficlover175: The story begins as the war concludes. However, remnants of conflict still linger. You'll have to keep reading to see if Izuku gets OFA.) **

**(ProjectIceman: The story takes place recently after quirks were discovered and those possessing quirks were quickly met with hostility. The majority of people are quirkless, however, the children still hate Izuku. Not for the oddity of being quirkless, but because of what it represents to them. As for AFO, let's just say there are individuals in higher places that are willing to make deals with devils for the power they possess.) **

**Inspired by Levius.**

* * *

**Chapter 3: Salvage**

It grinds deep, metal on bone.

_He's standing, floating, falling…_

Almost through, a few more cuts. Blood covers the table.

_Embers dance among the ashes. Bodies in the bay. No more sun… only shadow. Dull rubies buried under stone. A sputtering white flame snuffed out. A mother's love._

It's done.

_Suddenly, it's all real. _

And now… the reconstruction.

_Where am I? It's so cold and dark. Where is everyone? I'm scared. Mom? Dad? Hello? Anyone? I… I don't want to be alone. _

_Please… someone… help me._

-oxoxo-

From the depths of unconsciousness, Izuku Midoriya's emerald eyes warily opened. The passing days had dulled his senses.

_Everything's so fuzzy. Where am I?_

He blinked and slowly life came to focus. Izuku lay at rest on a simple twin bed with white sheets and a red comforter. The steady metallic tick of his heartbeat bounced through the air. On his left, a small machine hissed out steam as it worked to keep track of his vitals.

_I'm… in a hospital? Did Kacchan go overboard again?_

Izuku examined his body for injuries.

_Dang it, the blanket is up to my neck._

He tried to lift the covers off himself.

_Huh?_

His right arm hadn't moved at all. He tried once more, however, to no avail. Izuku tested his left arm and the limb complied, pulling back the covers gently until his whole torso was revealed.

He stopped breathing. His eyes widened as his lips began to tremble.

_What the hell is this?_

At the base of his collar, thin metal servos dug into his skin. He followed the servos until metal plating, bolted to the flesh, formed a hollow framed stump where his right arm should have been.

His breath quickened and he began to hyperventilate.

'_Kacchan! I'll get you out!'_

Gunfire and the thunder of collapsing buildings echoed within him. Fire spread across his memories as they had the city.

'_I said run Izuku!'_

Realization was a grenade as shrapnel shredded through any lingering disorientation.

'_Rest… everything will be alright.'_

For the first time in his life, Izuku Midoriya did not cry. His breathing settled into a hollow rhythm and he stared blankly into the distance, too fearful to look back.

He simply sat there, quiet as the grave.

It was another hour before the nurses noticed he was awake.

-oxoxo-

Gran Torino sat across from Toshinori, the former covered in bandages with an IV drip still stuck in his arm. The symbol of hope looked gaunt for his large frame as Toshinori's right arm hung from a sling. Resting beneath the broken limb, metal plates peaked out from beneath a particularly large bandage along his stomach.

The sight alone left a bad taste in Gran Torino's mouth. Nana would have been mortified.

Toshinori had done it. He'd finally beaten One for All.

But at what cost?

Disregarding his physical injuries, a heavy toll weighed on Toshinori's conscience. There was something below the surface that was eating at him. The blonde's typically shining blue eyes had faded and every smile was forced. It wasn't hard to guess what had mentally wounded him so.

They'd lost FireFang.

But personally, Toshinori had lost a dear friend and comrade.

By the time All Might had arrived, Hisashi Midoriya was nothing more than a stain of red across the rubble and ruins. He'd rarely seen Toshinori so hateful.

"Umm, excuse me…"

A nurse stood by the door and they turned to regard her.

"You requested we keep you updated on Izuku Midoriya's condition. He woke up a few hours ago and is well enough for visitors."

Gran Torino looked to Toshinori. If it was possible, the man had become even more crestfallen. Still, he smiled as best as he could. Nana would approve.

"Thank you young miss. I'll be there shortly."

She nodded, blushing at the Symbol of hope's attention, before leaving. Immediately after she'd passed from view, Toshinori fell back into grief.

"I have to tell him. I have to be the one to do it."

Toshinori's good hand curled into a fist as he closed his eyes.

"It's my responsibility."

Gran Torino thought of the boy he had saved, the one Toshinori alluded to. Izuku Midoriya definitely took after his mother, but there was no doubt that he was the son of FireFang. When he'd found them, the boy and his mother, four soldiers had been poised to take their lives.

Even then, when he had incapacitated the soldiers and saved them, Inko Midoriya had barely been clinging to life and the boy had his right arm amputated. Both had suffered from intense shrapnel damage. Still, they were alive, and Gran Torino was thankful for that.

The older hero sighed, and then spoke sternly.

"Compose yourself Toshinori, you'll only cause the boy more suffering looking all gloomy like that."

Toshinori's eyes darkened and he grit his teeth before sighing as well.

"You're right, I must show him that there is always hope."

For a moment, those sapphires glowed once more. Gran Torino smiled. Toshinori's spirit was always a matter of pride between himself and Nana. If only she could see him now.

They sat in silence for a minute longer before Toshinori shakily stood up. He held onto the IV stand for support and rolled it along to the door. They exchanged one last look, Gran Torino nodding to All Might, before the symbol of hope departed into the hospital hallway.

'_Compose yourself Toshinori…'_

Gran Torino scoffed, he knew he was a harsh man.

But for the sake of both Toshinori and Izuku Midoriya, he softened, and hoped they would recover. The loss of a loved one was a heavy weight to bear.

Raven locks and a pure white cloak floated through his memories. Gran Torino smiled sadly to himself. He'd always loved her smile.

May she finally rest.

-oxoxo-

Since waking up, Izuku sat quietly on the bed. After the nurses and doctors took his vitals, a prosthetic specialist had come to discuss his options. Behind him was a young girl with short pink hair. She stood by the door while the man spoke of various models he could buy to replace his missing arm.

The specialist tried on multiple occasions to get Izuku to speak. He'd asked questions only to be met with silence as the green haired boy stared blankly. Understanding, the man sighed, whispered something to the girl before taking their leave with a promise to return when he was ready.

Once again, Izuku was alone.

"Excuse me…young Midoriya."

_I know that voice._

The world knitted itself together if only to show the large frame of All Might standing beneath his doorway. The symbol of hope waved politely.

"May I come in?"

Struggling, Izuku nodded. All Might seemed relieved as he walked gingerly into the room, an IV stand in tow. The older man limped to an empty chair at his bedside. It would seem even All Might had not come out unscathed.

Izuku and the hero sat in silence.

His eyes were hollow as All Might shifted in his seat. It was clear he was thinking heavily on his choice of words. Eventually, he decided on something lighthearted.

"It's been quite some time since I last saw you young Midoriya. You've grown so much; back when you were a baby I could hold you in the palm of my hand," he chuckled nervously, "It always used to stress Inko out."

Silence.

All Might gulped as a bead of sweat ran down his temple. It wasn't going to get any easier, and so, with a calming breath, he prepared to break the news.

"Now, young Midoriya, what I'm about to tel-"

"My parents are dead."

Izuku's words cut through the hero's heart. His voice had been quiet, but every syllable had been razor sharp.

"That's what you were going to say, right?"

Izuku drifted back to reality. His dismal green eyes misted with tears as he looked at All Might. Toshinori's careful composure almost shattered.

"I'm truly sorry young Midoriya. I…" he cleared his throat, "I wasn't able to save your father."

Izuku sank back into the hospital bed, the pillows cradling him. Silent tears fell from his eyes.

_It's my fault… It's all my fault. If I hadn't gone out to meet Kacchan… _

"But young Midoriya…"

Izuku peered past his watery gaze to see a kind smile.

"...your mother is still alive."

_Mom? _

He stiffened as the memories of that night once again flashed through his mind. He could still feel the sudden sharp pain of shrapnel.

"Is she alright?"

All Might's smile dipped and he looked away, contemplating something. The hero let out a heavy breath as he regarded Izuku.

"Let's visit her. This is something you'll have to see for yourself."

-oxoxo-

Seated in a wheelchair, Izuku sat stock still in a dark and gloomy room at Inko Midoriya's bedside. His mother was peaceful as she lay lifeless beneath the stark white hospital sheets. Gentle bandages cradled the left side of her skull.

Her breath was soft and mechanical as a respirator led to an air purifier puffing steam in the corner. All Might stood by the door, waiting patiently.

Izuku took shaky breaths as he carefully used one arm to roll closer. He placed his hand within his mother's and squeezed.

_I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. _

"How long until she wakes up?"

The hero spoke calmly, but a sullen tone bit through.

"The doctors don't know. They said she may wake anywhere from next week to never again."

Izuku let out a soft whimper as his head sunk onto the bed, eyes screwed shut. He stayed there a while, crying to himself.

All Might could only stand resolute by the door, blue eyes downcast.

He'd failed them.

-oxoxo-

Toshinori slowly wheeled back the desolate form of Izuku Midoriya. After an hour of the boy's visit with his mother, the nurses had urged them back to his room for medication. Hisashi would have been distraught to see his son so empty. Izuku hadn't even fought Toshinori when he pulled the boy away from his mother.

After they had given Izuku a round of pain medication, the nurses left, leaving him alone with the boy once more. Toshinori sat at the boy's bedside, observing him.

He knew that look.

It was one he'd seen on the families of the deceased. It was the look of someone's world shattering. Toshinori's teeth clenched and he fought to keep his emotions down.

He'd never thought he would lose someone again.

Nana left behind a family…

And now there wasn't much left of Hisashi's.

"Uncle Toshinori?"

He refocused on Izuku, putting away his own thoughts for now.

"Yes, young Midoriya?"

The boy's eyes were desperate.

"Even though I'm quirkless… can…" he paused, voice shaky, "...can I be a hero? Like my Dad?"

_Like his father?_

The bloody memory of Hisashi Midoriya's mangled corpse strangled every ounce of hope that resided within Toshinori. For a moment, he saw the son in place of his father, broken before All for One's grinning maw.

Hate rose to the surface before simmering into a boil of regret and bitterness.

_The Midoriya's have suffered enough._

Gently, Toshinori placed a hand on Izuku's left shoulder.

"Your father was one of the bravest and strongest heroes I've ever known. He would not have stood to see you throw your life away. Do not give yourself to the endless struggle of good and evil. You will not honor your father's death by dying with him."

Toshinori stood as Izuku looked away.

"I'm sorry, young Midoriya, this must be hard to hear, but it is no less important. Without a quirk, you cannot be a hero. To save others, you must first have the power to save yourself."

He pulled his hand back and turned to leave. However, before doing so, he stopped at the doorway.

"Get some rest young Midoriya, and…" he paused, unsure of his own words, "...live a good life. Your father would have wanted it that way."

With those parting words, Toshinori stepped into the hallway, IV stand on his left as he closed the door softly behind him.

_I wasn't able to save Hisashi, but I can still save you, young Midoriya. _

-oxoxo-

Gran Torino shook his head disapprovingly as the symbol of hope limped down the hall.

"Toshinori, you fool."

He looked through the small door window at Izuku's hopeless state.

"Have you forgotten so easily where you came from? The losses of war have clouded your judgement."

The older hero let out a grumble and a quick huff as he observed Hisashi Midoriya's son with critical eyes.

_So the boy wants to be a hero?_

A small nostalgic smile spread across his features.

_He has a long way to go, especially with that arm of his. Still, there is hope for him yet._

Gran Torino chuckled to himself.

_I'll have to clear out Toshinori's old room._

* * *

**A/N: Writing scenes like this is always hard for me. Anyway, let me know what you think. Thanks for reading!**


	4. The Swing of Things

**A/N: I apologize for the wait, midterms, spring break, and corona just hit. **

**(Guest: In the prologue, which I'll confirm is the future, Izuku has a prosthetic arm which he may, or may not, be getting soon.)**

**(RaudomGny: Thanks but a lot of my older stuff I wrote when I was younger. If you like it then that's awesome but I warn you, I was 120% EDGE as a highschooler.) **

**Inspired by Levius**

* * *

**Chapter 4: The Swing of Things**

The summer of the Musutafu massacre passed into a gloomy autumn. The red leaves cast scarlett memories for the survivors of the desolate city. The once rolling green hills were marred with craters and scorched earth as the blackened Musutafu stood cold against the biting winds of the season.

The war raged on far to the south. The battle at Musutafu had ultimately resulted in a victory for the heroes. Heavy casualties befell both sides but the quirkless army was forced to retreat.

In the following weeks, reconstruction for Musutafu was in order; as was the medical discharge of Izuku Midoriya.

At Musutafu's last remaining railroad station, a boy sat quietly on a wooden bench amongst the crowded citizens and busy construction workers. The boy wore a button up, vest, and slacks, however, the right sleeve dangled limpy, tied off at the elbow. At his feet rest a small suitcase.

Izuku glanced up at the sizable hole in the station's glass and metal work ceiling. His eyes then trailed down to the brick blown remains of the rail commissioner's quarters.

He tensed up, a deadly whistling in his ears.

_I can still hear it._

His breath slowed and he forced himself to calm down.

He focused on the ruby envelope in his left hand. Only the surface, only the paper. He still didn't have the courage to open it yet.

Soon the steady rhythm of an incoming train oscillated through the air. Workers cleared off the tracks and Izuku stowed the envelope away. He stood from the bench and picked up his suitcase with his left hand.

The train pulled into the station as the mechanical rhythm slowed to a stop. Rushing pockets of hissing steam systematically burst from two vents in the front car. Soon the passenger cars came into view and an announcement warbled through the train station's damaged speakers.

"RoUnd triP from YaManAshi PRefeCture! DePartIng iN ten MinUtes!"

The voice was crackly and distorted as newly hired construction workers and distraught family members filtered out of the cars and into the station. While the cars emptied, behind the rabble of moving crowds, a seemingly senile old man hobbled slowly with a wooden cane.

Gran Torino came to a stop in front of Izuku, looking up with a simple smile.

"Ready to go?"

_No._

"Yes."

A cheeky grin broke across the older man's face.

"Splendid, all the arrangements have been made. Inko will be transferred to Yamanashi General Hospital within the week."

Gran Torino spun on his heels with the spryness of a man twenty years younger and departed back into the car. He thought of his mother once, his eyes hardening, before following after the hero. He passed through the train until he found the old man seated inside the third car down.

Izuku opened the sliding door and entered the compartment, taking a seat across from the old man. His green eyes were immediately drawn to the window.

Gran Torino's smile carried on from the station.

"Toshinori sends his regards. He regrets not being able to celebrate your twelfth birthday with you. As soon as he was released from the hospital he had to return to the warfront."

Izuku nodded, the memories of his birthday crossing his mind. It had been a quiet affair. The nurses had made him a small cake and furnished his room with fresh flowers. They even agreed to wheel him to his mother's room to blow the candles of his cake and make a wish.

He let out a quiet sigh.

_Mom always made the best cakes._

The minutes passed in silence until the steam whistle sounded on their departure. A dull thrum shook the railway as the engines hummed to life. The station passed into hill scapes and the shudder of replaced tracks signaled the recent damages of war.

As the rail bent around the curve of a hill, Izuku soon focused on Musutafu. The spec of his childhood city shrunk back across the horizon. With every blink his birthplace grew further and further away. He grit his teeth.

"Don't worry…"

Izuku's attention shifted to the older hero. Gran Torino displayed a rare case of care.

"...you'll be back."

_I…_

He took one last look.

_I will, won't I…_

With that final thought, Musutafu faded into the distance. Izuku looked away from the window, and faced Gran Torino. It wasn't much, but the barest of smiles graced the boy's features.

-oxoxo-

The train ride had been calm, wonderfully so.

Yamanashi Prefecture, while not the most mechanically advanced part of the nation, was the last remaining bastion of safety for the growing quirked society. The train passed through quaint border towns before pulling into a station on the outskirts of the city.

Izuku, suitcase in hand, stepped off the steaming mass of metal and into the afternoon sun. His gaze immediately gravitated to the five meter tall walls encircling the main city. Along its edges, quirked soldiers and heroes stood at the ready.

Gran Torino smirked and nudged the boy.

"Impressive right?"

Izuku nodded along.

_If only Musutafu had been guarded so well. _

Gran Torino led the way as they approached the city registration checkpoint. It was a small concrete structure carved out of the base of the wall not far from the station. With an exchange of words between Gran Torino and the heroes on duty, they passed on through.

Coming out on the other side of the two meter thick wall, Izuku was met with a flood of nostalgia. It had been some time since he'd felt the aura of a bustling city. Motor cars rumbled across the cobblestone. The distant cries of vendors from the marketplace carried through the autumn breeze. But most striking were the denizens of Yamanashi.

A family of three walked past him, smiling, comfortable, connected… safe.

He could get lost in all of it.

"Come along now, we're almost there."

Gran Torino departed down a side street without a second glance. There had been some bark to the old man's words. Even so, he followed along numbly, but not before watching as the family was swallowed into the city crowds.

-oxoxo-

They traveled through main streets, eventually turning into a long back alleyway. Passing through, they emerged on a completely different side of town.

"Here we are, home sweet home."

Side by side with the old hero, under the fading sun, Izuku stood before a worn down four-storied brick building. Chipped stone stairs led to a set of sun-faded double doors. His eyes darted from the broken windows boarded up with plywood to the shadowy alleyway that accompanied the decrepit structure.

_Huh… just like the old abandoned factory we fought in._

His thoughts turned dark as the image of Katsuki's lifeless body buried itself under the rubble of his guilt. The ruby envelope in his pocket filled him with dread.

_Auntie Mitsuki..._ _Kacchan..._

A sudden clap on the back caused him to stumble.

"Are you just going to stand there? I want to eat."

When Izuku righted himself, Gran Torino stood at the top of the stairs with a smirk.

"Come, I'll show you Toshinori's old room."

-oxoxo-

Izuku had been expecting a dusty cramped house full of run down dangers and broken floorboards. Instead he was met with an open space he was familiar with.

He stood on the first floor, but further in, wooden railing guarded a sudden drop off. As he approached, it became clear that this was no ordinary home. Setting the suitcase down and gripping the rail, Izuku looked out at the hollow shell of the building.

From the rail, leading left, a small staircase led to a vast open concrete field. Looking up, where the ceiling might have been, there was an open expanse only stopping at what he could guess was the rooftop. Along the building's perimeter walls, railed floors signified the various veritcal levels of the building. It was a lot to take in.

The space alone made him feel light headed.

_So this is where Uncle Toshinori trained._

Gran Torino suddenly appeared from a doorway further down the railed walkway.

"This way, Midoriya," he beckoned.

The old man then left as soon as he had come, leaving a still disoriented Izuku to follow.

After passing through one hallway, a left, right, then left turn again, and finally two flights of stairs, Izuku had caught up with Gran Torino. They stood in front of a seemingly normal bedroom door.

"Here we are…"

The old hero turned the knob and pushed.

"...Toshinori's old room."

Light streamed in from the hallway, illuminating a sparse but neat room. A twin bed rested in one corner while a desk was positioned beside an unboarded window on the opposite wall.

"I cleared out all of Toshinori's stuff, you wouldn't believe what a little hoarder the symbol of hope was when he was your age."

Gran Torino chuckled to himself as he flicked on an old light switch and nudged Izuku into the room.

"Go on now, get settled. Bathroom's down the hall to the right. I'm not much of a cook but I know enough to get by. Dinner will be ready within the hour."

And with that, Gran Torino closed the door and left Izuku Midoriya to his own devices.

-oxoxo-

It was a surprisingly calm process.

Izuku unpacked, suitcase on the bed. He stored his few articles of clothing in the bottom drawer of his desk before pulling out a framed picture. Izuku set it down gently, the cracked image of his smiling parents cooing over a small bundle of blankets.

He wanted to smile too.

Izuku finished unpacking and stored the suitcase under the bed and sat pensively on its edge. The envelopes corners pressed into his leg from his pocket and provided a constant anxiety inducing reminder.

Tentatively, he retrieved it from his pocket and stared at the shoddily stamped wax seal.

_You were never one to be delicate… Kacchan._

Two weeks after waking up in the hospital, auntie Mitsuki had come to visit. The normally explosive blonde woman had been quiet as a mouse and gentle as well when he'd broken down sobbing and apologizing for not saving Katsuki.

Eventually, peace settled into his bones. Her words still haunted him.

'_It's not your fault Izuku… you knew what Katsuki was like…'_

They'd visited his mother after that and she stayed a while, holding both his and Inko's hands. Before she left, she'd left him with a parting gift; a ruby envelope.

'_Don't be a stranger Izuku, you were like a brother to him.'_

His emerald eyes focused back to the present. The memories drifted back into the recesses of his mind as he continued to gaze upon the envelope.

_It's been over a month since auntie Mitsuki gave this to me. Why can't I just open it?_

Izuku set the letter down on his desk and let out a heavy sigh.

_I can't. Not now._

He shrunk back onto the bed, curling inward. His eyes shut softly but held tight against the maelstrom of emotions swirling within him.

_Everything used to be so simple…_

-oxoxo-

"Thank you for the meal."

Izuku stood from his seat, taking the dish and the remains of his dinner to the sink. He'd found the kitchen back down on the first floor, tucked away along the building's perimeter rooms.

From behind him, as he carefully scrubbed the dish with his remaining hand, Gran Torino spoke.

"Once you're done there, meet me in the pit."

He looked back, confused.

"There's something we need to discuss."

The old man gave him a winning smile before disappearing into the depths of the house. With his dish cleaned and set on the counter to dry, he followed. Entering the main atrium of the house, he peered down from the railing to see the old man in hero uniform standing at the concrete floor's center.

Izuku trailed down the stairs at a sedated pace and met with Gran Torino until they stood across from one another.

_What does he want to talk about?_

The old man's eyes examined him critically, narrowing in judgement. A spike of anxious tension pulled at his nerves.

_Is it my mother's hospital bills? I know I don't have much time… Dad's savings will run out within the next two years. _

"Izuku Midoriya!"

The sudden use of his name sent a jolt through him.

"You want to be a hero..."

It was a statement, no room for question. His eyes grew wide.

"...just like your father."

The simple truth hung in the air, floating, flying, and then… plummeting. All Might's words strangled the aspirations deep within his soul.

'_To save others, you must first have the power to save yourself'_

Izuku's eyes shot to the floor, downcast.

"I… I did, but…"

_...I just can't. All Might said as much. I'm not strong enough, I don't even have a quirk. And now… my arm…_

"But what, Midoriya? Is your conviction that weak?"

_Weak? Am I? AM I?_

"NO!"

His head shot up, a flare of indignation sparkling in his emerald eyes before fading back into the ashes of war torn sorrow.

"I just… I just..."

It was silent. Gran Torino observed the sullen boy's body language. The brief burst of emotion had generated an aggressive stance that spoke volumes of the boy's condition. Still, it would seem he had provoked the boy too early.

He thought back. Toshinori had been similar after Nana's death.

Gran Torino scoffed and turned his back on the boy, beginning to walk away.

"Forget it, Midoriya. Get some rest."

He couldn't help the boy if the boy wasn't even willing to help himself.

-oxoxo-

Long after Gran Torino had left, Izuku stood silently in the pit. The old hero's question rattled through his head over and over.

_Why couldn't I say anything? For as long as I can remember, I've always wanted to be a hero. I always looked to Dad or Kacchan. _

Under his breath, he whispered.

"Dammit."

_Who am I going to look to now?_

-oxoxo-

"Izuku, I'm headed out for patrol, could you handle the groceries?"

Izuku nodded stiffly as the old man, clad in hero uniform, handed him a short list and departed from the house. Ever since their exchange within the pit, he'd felt uneasy around his new guardian. It was as if Gran Torino knew something he didn't.

_I better get going, who knows what the market will have left at this time of day._

Izuku stood slowly from his chair, an old hero notebook sliding under his arm as he prepared himself to leave.

_It's going to be cold out, especially with the sun setting._

Having slipped into a peacoat with a red scarf curled around his neck, he braced for the biting evening chill as he stepped out onto the cracked stone steps of his home. Izuku's breath tumbled through his lips and ascended into the darkening sky.

It was a quick trip to the common market, however, when he arrived, many of the vendors were packing up their stalls and merchandise. He bought what he could, placing the various ingredients in a wide brown satchel across his left shoulder.

The sun had finally set by the time he was packing up the last ingredient on the list. The market square was lit by a circle of lamp posts which illuminated a sparse courtyard. Only the straggling merchants, odd pedestrians, and himself remained.

Izuku turned to head home, but froze in his tracks as his emerald eyes widened. His breath hitched, held captive by his fraying nerves. Through the dim light, from the barest glimpses of his peripheral, a flash of ruby struck him stiff.

_Kacchan?_

Izuku spun around wildly, the right sleeve of his coat fanning out from the turn. Across the courtyard, in a white button up and black slacks, a spiky haired blond strode away into the Yamanashi's busier and more crowded streets. Walking alongside the boy, was a shadowy figure shrouded in a shirt and vest.

_How… is that really you?_

The boy stopped and turned, revealing the profile of his features. His face was passive but those ruby orbs were emblazoned with Katsuki Bakugo's spirit.

_KACCHAN!_

Izuku's red shoes kicked up dust as he sped forward without even thinking. The hollow right sleeve flapped behind him as he weaved between stalls. The blond turned away, and continued to walk, almost rounding right on a street corner with the shadowy figure.

_No! I won't lose you again Kacchan! I'm coming!_

"Hey kid! Slow down, you'll run into that girl!"

Izuku was deaf to the vendor's warning as he collided full force with another citizen. He fell forward on top of them, his bag of groceries, ripping off his shoulder and spilling out onto the cobblestone.

"Ow ow ow! Oh no, my baby! It's ruined!"

"I'm sorry!"

He didn't feel it, he didn't hear her, he didn't see her. All he could do was shout a quick apology to the pink haired girl as he struggled to his feet with one arm. Izuku looked ahead and panicked. By now the blond and his companion had faded into the crowded street.

'_Is your conviction that weak?'_

_NO! _

Izuku broke into the crowd, taking a right at the street corner and pushing his way through. He caught a glimpse of the blonde turning left.

Turn after turn Izuku followed, alway a step behind.

Finally, with his breaths coming out in sharp pants, he'd reached the end of the road. The dull throng of a roaring crowd drifted into his ears as he approached the immense coliseum in front of him. His breathing calmed but his heart continued to hammer in his chest like a wild piston.

_There's nowhere else they could have gone. Kacchan, please, please be here._

Izuku stepped through a large archway and into a long entrance tunnel, as an anxious tick spread throughout his veins. With every step it became clear that the dull throng outside was a massive audience of people ecstatically cheering. Coming out of the tunneled archway, Izuku found himself surrounded by people as they crowded along a railing overlooking a raised square platform at least three stories below.

A well dressed man walked onto the platform with a microphone.

"Welcome ladies and gentleman to Yamanashi's first QMA promotional bout!"

Ignoring the speaker, Izuku began frantically searching as he passed along the circular ridge of the coliseum. After coming full circle, he found the main stairwell and checked the floor below.

"In the right corner…!"

Izuku drowned out the world around him, his sole focus on finding Katsuki Bakugo. He scrambled down the main stairwell and onto the first floor.

_Kacchan… where are you?_

"In the left corner…!"

His feet dragged across the floor, and fresh tears welled within his dimming emerald eyes.

_I'm right here, I'm…_

He stopped in his stracks and stumbled to the back of the gathering who were focusing on the spectacle on the center platform.

"No..." he whispered quietly to himself.

_I checked every floor, there's too many people. I can't… I just… Kacchan... Dammit!_

"Three, two, one… Fight!"

The crowd roared with cheers, masking a violent strangled cry from the depths of his heart as he fell to his knees behind the main row of spectators.

_I just wanted to save you._

Slowly, he picked himself up, leaning against the wall for support. His feet unconsciously carried him to a vacant spot along the railing that overlooked the crowd's delight. Mindlessly, his eyes drifted to the center stage.

A blinding right hook.

A sudden strafe followed by a vicious roundhouse kick.

A steadfast guard against the assault.

Izuku's emerald eyes widened through the mist of his tears. His fist clenched slowly as the spectators around him cheered and booed with every quirk enhanced punch, kick, and dodge.

_Kacchan…_

One of the combatants swiveled on their feet and delivered a sudden kick to their opponent's solar plexus knocking them down. The crowd went wild and the coliseum shook with excitement. With the fighter who stood, and the fighter coughing and twitching on the ground, a countdown began.

His gaze focused on the standing fighter, their arms pumped in the air, riling up the crowd. Izuku was brought back to the old factory floor, Katsuki Bakugo was his opponent as they both slipped into readied stances. He thought of how the children cheered for Katsuki when they fought. He thought of how the children rallied together under Katsuki's victorious image.

_You were always a hero of the people… even with your temper._

The fighter who had been knocked down clambered to their feet before the countdown, albeit wheezing. Still the two fighters acknowledged each other and prepared themselves for another exchange.

_A hero of the people… huh..._

The two fighters clashed and the crowd's elation crackled through the coliseum. The ghost of a smile formed across his lips.

_Maybe I could be that._

-oxoxo-

Gran Torino sat patiently along the first floor railing. He'd returned from his evening patrol to find the house empty. He'd done a quick sweep of the house and Izuku Midoriya was nowhere to be found. The boy had proven himself capable of traversing the city alone and had adapted to the new area well. There was no way he was lost.

_What could be taking Midoriya so long? He should have been back before me. _

It was at that moment that the front door opened, revealing the boy in question.

"Ah, there you are Midoriya, I was starting to worry you had been mugged or something."

Izuku passed through the doorway, closing and locking it behind him as he entered the home.

_Wait, something is… amiss._

The grocery bag slung across the boy's shoulder was scuffed up and the loaf of bread peeking out from the top looked slightly misshapen. But more than that, Izuku Midoriya was just… different. Physically he looked the same, but there was something within the boy that hadn't been there before.

_His eyes aren't as cloudy, he isn't looking back anymore. There's a future in Midoriya's eyes. _

"I'm sorry Gran Torino, while I was out I dropped the bag and the groceries spilled out. I hope they're still fine to use."

He set the bag down carefully with his left arm onto a side table.

"Do you mind if I go to my room?"

Gran Torino couldn't help the smile that wormed its way onto his lips.

"Sure, an old man like me can still carry a bag of groceries."

Izuku nodded and then slipped away into the hallways of their large home. Gran Torino picked up the groceries and watched the boy's receding form. For some reason, a sense of relief drifted through him.

-oxoxo-

The next day, Izuku was quiet and thoughtful. This persisted throughout the morning and into the late afternoon until he called out a hasty goodbye to Gran Torino before departing into the late autumn weather.

"I'm going to see mom, I'll be back tonight."

The door closed swiftly and Gran Torino could only let out an amused chuckle. Something was definitely different about Izuku Midoriya.

-oxoxo-

Izuku arrived at the hospital half an hour after leaving home and approached the front desk. The nurse on duty looked up from their work.

"Oh, Izuku, here to see Inko?"

He nodded and smiled politely as he signed into the hospital's visitors log. He exchanged goodbyes with the nurse and soon found himself sitting beside his mother. Since her admittance into the hospital back in Musutafu, the bandages around her head had been removed, revealing the peaceful and serene face of Inko Midoriya.

Her breathing was slow and steady, matching beat for beat with the hissing of the steam generator. Izuku slowly placed a hand over hers.

"Please wake up soon."

As hard as he tried, he couldn't stop the tears from falling.

"I miss you so much."

He sat beside her a while longer, the final stretches of grief running its course, until a gentle calm settled into his mind.

Izuku sat up straight and wiped the tears from his eyes. He looked softly at his mother one last time before standing to leave.

"I'll be back soon," he said with a sad smile.

The hospital window allowed the last rays of daylight to pour through, covering the room in an orange gold glow. He had to go home.

_Home._

His thoughts turned to the old hero who had adopted him. The memory of his first night in Yamanashi now struck a chord that hadn't been there before.

_I think I understand why Gran Torino took me in._

He navigated the halls until he passed through the front doors and stood on the cobblestone streets of Yamanashi. Izuku looked around for a moment, taking it all in once more.

_So much went wrong. Everything's different. But... _

He smiled softly.

_I'm not giving up. _

Embers kindled in defiance within the coldest reaches of his heart as the emerald fires of war were stoked with the breath of a new host.

_No more sulking. _

His fist curled, the vestiges of his strength whitening his knuckles as he imagined the roaring cheers of the coliseum.

_I promise… I'll make this right._

-oxoxo-

Night had fallen across Yamanashi when Izuku returned home. Gran Torino stood against the railing of the pit waiting, a smirk along his features. Closing the front door, he strode forward until he stood across from the old hero.

_I've wanted to be a hero ever since I could remember. But All Might was right, I can't be a hero if I can't even save myself. _

His left hand was curled into a tight fist as he presented a determined smile.

_I'll have to start here. _

"I want to get stronger."

Gran Torino chuckled until a raucous laughter filled the building. As it died down, a quick burst of air left his feet and he landed on the rails edge, now eye level with Izuku.

"It's about damn time. Now..."

Gran Torino blasted off the rails and landed deftly within the pit.

"...show me what you got kid!"

Izuku felt an almost explosive force rocket within him. It was as if Katsuki's blasts had left kinetic echoes throughout his very being. Never minding the three meter drop, Izuku bounced back on the balls of his feet and leapt over the railing.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading. Let me know what you think. **


	5. The Pink Partner

**A/N: Been a while… oops...**

**Inspired by Levius.**

* * *

**Chapter 5: The Pink Partner **

Under the midday sun, Izuku Midoriya stood stiff among the cobbled streets of Yamanashi. His worn and weary reflection stared back from outside the window of a streetside shop. Above the window read, in freshly painted wildly bold letters: **Mei's Mechanics**.

Despite the exhaustion that roiled through his muscles, he worked up a smile. Today was a big day.

_I need to get stronger. And that means I'm going to need my right arm._

His thoughts drifted back to the night before. The night he decided to set things right. After handily being beaten by Gran Torino in the pit, the words of his guardian echoed back to him now.

'_Not bad for a kid with one arm. You clearly have some sense of combat training, certainly better than when Toshinori first started. You want to compete in Quirk Martial Arts as a means to get stronger? We're going to have to start your training immediately. However, you're not going to be able to train effectively without your right arm. There's a shop nearby on the edge of the crafts district. They should have what you're looking for.'_

The memory receded and he took a shaky breath, steadying himself as he stood before the door. Izuku turned the knob and pushed. A bell above the door chimed softly as he left the busy murmurs of the street and entered the small shop.

Dimly lit and smelling of machinery and smoke, dust wandered through the sunbeams streaming through the window. The quiet was stifling and left his ears feeling stuffy. It was a simple layout. A counter up front with various tools on display and a back door leading to what he assumed would be a workshop room.

There wasn't anyone behind the counter as he approached slowly. A few seconds passed and doubt crept into the corners of his mind.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" he called out meekly, cringing at his own voice.

When nobody answered, he looked back to double check that the sign said open. Sure enough, facing him was a 'closed' sign, meaning to the world outside, 'Mei's Mechanics' was open for business.

_Maybe I should come back another day? No, I can't turn back now. I have to make every day count. I need to get stronger as soon as possible. _

Clearing his throat, he mustered his confidence.

"Is there a… Mei, here? I need to speak with her about- AGHH!"

Suddenly, from behind the counter, a pale arm shot out and latched onto the counters edge. Izuku stumbled back and raised his arm in defense.

"Mmmm… I'm up…"

Climbing to her feet, using the counter for support, a young girl with pink hair yawned, stretched, and rubbed her eyes. Izuku peered from behind his one-armed guard. Covered in grease stains, frazzled, clad in a black tank top, cargo pants, with goggles perched in her messy hair, she met his gaze.

Golden crosshairs targeted his emerald irises.

"Why are you in my shop?" she asked softly, not the least bit startled.

Panic began to rise within him but he held his ground.

"Oh… well, the sign said you were open."

"Oh, it did? Huh. What time is it?"

_Huh? _

Confusion aside, he lowered his guard, stepped back to the counter, and reached for his pocket watch.

"Umm, it's twelve-thirty-two."

The girl mused over this information then nodded resolutely. As if shedding all vestiges of sleep, she shook her head and a bright and energetic demeanor took over her visage.

"We are most definitely open then. I must have stayed up too late tinkering and crashed. What's today? Wednesday?"

"Friday actually," he offered.

As if the passing of two days without her knowledge was of no concern, she waved her hand playfully and smiled.

"Ah well no matter. What can I do for you…"

Her eyes had been on him, but as if finally considering his presence, she searched for a name. Under those golden crosshairs he couldn't help but feel examined.

"Oh, um… Izuku, Izuku Midoriya."

As he introduced himself he could tell there were wheels turning in the girls head.

"Hmm, you look familiar Izuku."

She leaned across the counter, her eyes narrowing until they shot open. In a jolt, she reached out and grabbed him by the collar.

"THAT'S RIGHT! You're the jerk who ran into me a few days ago and broke my precious baby! I spent the last three nights fixing that! I hardly slept at all! And now it's… uh..."

"Friday?" he offered once more.

Her stare was scrutinizing and hard.

"FRIDAY! And because I was fixing my baby, THAT YOU BROKE, I didn't complete some work orders! And because I didn't do those, I have less time to build my babies! LESS TIME for BABIES!"

_Babies?_

She began to shake him by the collar.

"What do you have to say for yourself, BABY KILLER?"

_BABY KILLER?_

Izuku's mind was a whirlwind as he struggled to keep up. The girl's nose was pressed against his as she glared into his confused eyes and he felt heat begin to creep behind his cheeks.

"I'm sorry?"

Her scorn lasted a few seconds longer before she let him go abruptly, a smile slipping across her lips once more. Izuku let out a sigh of relief and fixed his shirt.

"Good, it's not nice to bump into people like that. It's even worse to hurt other people's babies. But, you seem like a nice enough boy, so I'll let it slide."

The girl proceeded to hop on top of the counter, dangle her legs off the side as she faced him, and cock her head to the side pleasantly.

"The name is Mei Hatsume, inventor extraordinaire, and this is my shop. I do commissions, fixes, and bulk orders."

Her eyes drifted to his empty right sleeve.

"So then, baby killer Izuku Midoriya, what can I do for you? Something tells me you might need a HAND with something… maybe an ARM even?"

He stiffened.

_Is that excitement in her voice? It would be really great if she was enthusiastic about this. Still, she looks to be around my age, can she really build me a combat prosthetic?_

"Ah, it's nice to meet you Mei, but um… aren't you a little young to be running a mechanic shop?"

Mei snorted, amusement dancing in her golden orbs.

"Aren't you a little young to be coming to a mechanic shop? Shouldn't you be rough housing with the other boys and killing babies?"

Izuku choked on air, sputtering for a moment.

_What is it with her and babies? _

"That's a fair point. Though I don't know about that last part…"

Izuku looked away from her, examining the shop around them while he summoned the words he wanted to say. He'd always been a little anxious talking to people but this Mei Hatsume was another level of anxiety inducing entirely.

Taking a breath, he began.

"So Mei, you mentioned that you do commissions?"

Her legs began swinging back and forth excitedly and the crosshairs in her eyes expanded.

"I did. Commissions, in fact, are my specialty."

There was unmistakable delight that emanated from her voice. There was something comforting about that that he couldn't quite place. It helped ease the sudden flow of dark reminders of why he was here. There were plenty of prosthetics already on the market, but few would suit the requirements of combat. However...

_Gran Torino recommended this shop and I trust him. I have to trust her too. _

"I… well… I lost my arm during the fall of Musutafu," he stepped closer, presenting the empty sleeve, "and I was wondering if you could help me with a prosthetic. Not a normal one. I… I…"

He struggled, the words stuck in his throat as his eyes fell to the floor.

"You need one you can fight with."

His gaze shot up to regard the girl before him. Her legs had stopped swinging and the smile she wore earlier had shifted to something gentle, vulnerable even.

"How-" he started.

"How did I know? Well, when I scared you earlier, your immediate reaction was to step into a fighting stance and I can just tell… you have something to prove, something to fight for."

Izuku thought back to the car ride he had with his father right before everything changed. Focusing back on the present he looked at Mei.

_She noticed my stance? She must be more observant than I thought._

"How-" he started again.

"How can I tell? Well that's simple…"

There was something about the way she looked at him that simultaneously sent a shiver down his spine and a rush to his head.

"I have something to prove as well."

They shared a look. It was as if, for a moment, they weren't so young, they weren't just strangers. Those golden crosshairs hovered over his emerald irises.

And then the moment passed.

Mei's legs began swinging again, her smile returned to normal, and they were just two kids in a shop.

"Well then, Izuku Midoriya, it was nice meeting you."

He laughed nervously.

"Likewise, Mei."

"I can't wait to make this baby with you."

He froze.

_Baby? With me? Stay calm Izuku, you've noticed by now that when she's talking about machines she says "baby."_

Despite the rationale, he felt his cheeks heat up, and he looked away.

"Yep, I can't wait either."

Mei's eyes lit up and she jumped off the counter and took his hand.

"Good because I literally cannot wait. Come with me. We're going to get started!"

"Oh! Um… okay."

She tugged him along to an entrance behind the counter, eventually leading him to the door he suspected led to a workshop. Now that they stood close, he was embarrassed to notice that she was actually taller than him by a centimeter or two.

Opening the door, she pulled him down a small staircase that led to an open room with tall ceilings. Lining the walls was counter space with cabinets below them. In the center of the room was a large worn work table. Machinery and tools alike were scattered all around the workshop. It was cluttered, but in a charming way.

"I'm so excited! I've never designed my own prosthetic before! I've worked on standard limb replacements but this is a whole new realm I'll have to explore! The servo articulation has to be just right and the steam capacity for quick movements is going to be tricky! Should we do armor plating? I think so. OH have I mentioned that I'm excited!"

Mei let go of his hand and manifested two stools from somewhere in all the clutter. Setting the stools at the center table, they sat down facing each other.

"Alright Izuku, first things first, I have to see what we're working with. Would you mind removing your shirt?"

Izuku hesitated as a spike of nervousness lanced through him. Other than the hospital staff and All Might, nobody had seen his wounds. He had been living with Gran Torino for a few weeks now and even he had not seen them.

He glanced at Mei. She smiled so honestly. It settled his nerves.

Izuku nodded and, with his left hand, unbuttoned his white collared shirt. The cloth fell to the floor and a chill in the air caused him to shiver. He hadn't felt it earlier but the metal plating on his torso that served as a basis for prosthesis was incredibly cold against his skin.

Mei stood up quickly from her seat and quickly took to examining him. Her eyes were so focused on him and he began to feel self conscious.

"Um… Mei?"

"SHHHH! I'm thinking…"

His self consciousness faded away. There was something about Mei's complete sincerity and bluntness that set him at ease. She paced around him, looking at the plated socket from all sorts of angles. This went on for a few minutes, all the while Izuku waited anxiously if patiently.

Finally, Mei took her seat across from him again. He reached down and draped the button up shirt over his shoulders and looked to her.

"So then? What do you think?" he asked anxiously.

Almost in direct contrast with her bubbly all-over-the-place behavior from before, she spoke with a calm resolution.

"The plate graft looks good. Your body has taken to the steam circuits well. As it stands, we could equip you with any old steam prosthetic and it'll work for most everyday life. However, for what you want, we're going to have to make our own prosthetic, as well as some adjustments to your own prosthesis plating for the extra strain it'll undergo in combat."

She took a breath, looking away, then sharply back into his eyes.

"It will hurt, a lot. Nerve endings and steam circuits don't tend to feel compatible, even if they are. And even then, they'll be incredibly sensitive. You WILL feel every punch you throw."

_I'll… feel it? _

His left hand curled into a fist slowly.

_Good._

"I understand Mei, thanks for warning me. I still want to do this. I need to be able to fight."

Mei nodded her head, and the gloom of her seriousness dissipated. Her smile is enough to even lift his own spirits.

_She really understands._

"I'll get to work on our baby right away, I assume you'll want this commission done as fast as possible?" she chirped as he buttoned up his shirt.

"Thank you Mei, that would be grea-"

Her smile slipped into a smirk.

"That said, my own excitement, and your dire need for an arm aside, if I'm focusing on your commission, then I can't exactly run my shop, now can I? I do run a business after all, I can't just be doing jobs for free either."

_She's right. This is a lot to ask of her. And if she were to ask for payment for the commission I don't have any money._

Izuku's eyes fell to his lap.

_I should just tell her I can't pay and leave. I already wasted enough of her time as it is._

"Oh don't look so gloomy Izuku."

A spark of hope crackled to life as his emerald orbs trailed up to her pleasant, if scheming, expression. Her golden cross hairs had locked in on her target.

"I propose an arrangement between us. Work for me. I'll teach you everything you need to know about being a basic mechanic. The orders in Yamanashi are pretty simple. You'll run the shop while I work on your commission and you'll also be 'paying' for it BY working for me. And if I need you for anything, you'll be nearby so it's convenient."

Izuku could only sit in awe.

"So then, this is a pretty sweet deal, what do you say?"

Izuku couldn't help the smile that spread across his features.

"That's perfect, Mei… thank you."

The girl across from him broke out into a chuckle.

"Oh you really shouldn't thank me. My motivations are pretty selfish. I just want to work on our baby. If it does you a solid in the process then that's just icing on the cake."

He shared a laugh with her.

"That's not selfish, you're still doing something for me. It just also happens to be for you as well."

Mei's eyes widened and the hint of a blush rose to her cheeks. Izuku felt his own face start to heat up. They both looked away.

_Maybe I shouldn't have said that. Let's change the topic._

"So Mei, when would you like me to start working?"

She leaned back and brought her hand up to her chin, the wheels turning in her head.

"Well, seeing as you currently know nothing about mechanics at the moment, and I have a backlog of work orders to complete, how about you come back here sometime tomorrow? The faster you can pick up the delicate art of baby making, the sooner we can get to work on our baby."

Coming to that conclusion, she grinned and gave him a thumbs up, oblivious to the embarrassment she was causing him.

"I'll do my best, you can count on me Mei."

She smiled and stuck out her left hand. Acknowledging the gesture, he reached out with his own and shook firmly.

"You know Izuku, I think this is the start of a long and mutually beneficial partnership."

He couldn't agree more.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading. **


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